Trial observation

The Solicitors' International Human Rights Group provides expert trial observers to any part of the world. Many of our experienced lawyers can observe trials without interpreters in a range of languages and provide trial observation reports in local languages as well as English.

Trial observation reports provide important measurements of the compliance of the trial process with national, regional and international standards. Trial observation reports from independent experts can be of value both to persons on trial that seek to overturn verdicts after an unfair trial and to criminal justice systems that seek to establish a reputation for compliance with international standards.

Our Reports:

EGYPT

The FINAL REPORT of Trial Observers from SIHRG was published in June 2015 on proceedings against Egyptian civil society activist Alaa Abd El-Fattah.  On 23rd February 2015 Alaa Abd El-Fatah was found guilty and sentenced to 5 years imprisonment. Our report was drawn to the attention of Prime Minister of the UK David Cameron in a letter from the President of EuroMed Rights timed to co-incide with the visit of Egypt President el-Sisi in November 2015. See the letter HERE

CLICK HERE for the original EMHRN press release and link to the Report.

Kazakhstan 

Click HERE to view a SIHRG trial report on the controversial Kazakhstan case against political opposition figure Vladimir Kozlov, from November 2012 

The report of trial observers from SIHRG who observed one of the criminal trials of activist Amal Fathy in Cairo in 2018 can be viewed HERE.

Video of our joint Press Conference at the European Parliament 10/04/2019 HERE

THAILAND

Report on the trial of two migrant workers from Myanmar concerning the murder of two British backpackers is HERE.

TURKEY

The Mass trial of Adnan Oktar and over 200 adherents of his religious movement was monitored by SIHRG observers 2019-2021. Our Report is available HERE

The convictions were overturned by a court of appeal but reinstated during a second trial in the Autumn of 2022, that carried on in the same unlawful manner as the first court. The second time of asking a differently constituted court of appeal did not interfere with the convictions.

SIHRG's report on the second trial is available HERE and in FRENCH and TURKISH

If you wish to apply for a trial observer please complete and submit the form of application via THIS LINK and we will respond within 7 days.

We also provide free training anywhere in the world for trial observers. Click here for details.

For non-lawyer activists we have published a "Straightforward Guide for Criminal Trial Observers". We are prepared to publish editions adapted to any country and to permit the Guide's translation to any language. Just contact us via the contacts page.

CLICK HERE FOR FULL GUIDE                  Turkish Language Version HERE

To view slides supporting a trial observation training session for Turkish trials presented by Lionel Blackman for Article 19 CLICK HERE.

Readers may find of interest a SIHRG supported Guide to fair trials in English and Burmese made available for free to lawyers and human rights activists in Myanmar. Click HERE for the link. (A grayscale version is here which can also be downloaded as it has lower memory demands).

We also have a guide to international fair trials within our online suite .

In November 2018 SIHRG provided a two day training for Article 19 and Turkish activists. Click HERE for the training report.

OTHER INFORMATION ABOUT SIHRG and links